scented

scented 

www.perfumesociety.org 

The 

NO. 21 Christmas 2016 

MYRRH: GIFT 

OF KINGS 

+ 

FRAGRANT 

JEWELLERY 

+ 

PRESENT 

SCENTS 

letter 

Bejewelled!

IS AN IMMERSIVE 

SPACE ON BEAUTY 

A LAB ON FIRE 

AGONIST 

ANDREA MAACK 

AVERY 

AZAGURY 

BLOOD CONCEPT 

BOADICEA THE VICTORIOUS 

DIANE PERNET PARIS 

EIGHT & BOB 

FORNASETTI 

L-AUTOMOBILI LAMBORGHINI 

PRÉPARATION PARFUMÉE ANDRÉE PUTMAN 

RE PROFUMO 

ROADS 

S-PERFUME 

SANTA EULALIA 

SOOUD 

Avery Perfume Gallery 

27 Avery Row, London W1K 4AY 

+44 (0)20 7629 1892 | www.averyperfumegallery.com

editor’s letter 

This edition has extra sparkle factor! 

Some time ago we decided to turn our attention to the 

world of jewels, gems and precious metals. In 2016, 

we’ve seen a real trend for perfume houses offering 

bottles which are ever-more-lavishly decorated. And 

as press release after press release detailing dazzling 

flacons landed on our desks, the office mantra became ‘Did someone 

say “bejwelled”…?’ Turn to p.32 to see some stunning examples. 

Perhaps because they’re both worn directly on skin, jewellery and perfume seem to have 

a natural affinity. And happily for those of us whose budgets don’t stretch to diamond 

necklaces or tiaras, some of the most celebrated jewellery houses in the world – from Van 

Cleef & Arpels to Cartier via Boucheron and beyond – succeed beautifully in distllling the 

glamour of their designs into scents for men and women. We share the stories behind some 

very precious perfume houses, on p.10. 

We also look in-depth at the revival of ‘scented jewellery’. I say ‘revival’ because in 

centuries past, perfumes were often worn not on skin, but in amulets and phials, or via 

pomanders dangling from belts or necklaces. Today, scented jewellery is swinging (almost 

literally) back into style. So on p.16 Pia Long rounds up some beautiful options – and looks 

at one very futuristic way we may find ourselves wafting scents from ‘wearables’, in the nottoo-distant 

future. 

Meanwhile, you can’t have failed to notice that our cover appears spectacularly 

bejewelled. But what you need to know that far from being digitally designed, the artwork 

for this was painstakingly created by hand, gem-by-gem, by Carson Parkin-Fairley – who 

also handles our events and social media (and is our Instagram ‘queen’). This seems the 

perfect moment in the calendar, actually, to give a massive round of applause to our multitalented 

Perfume Society team. If you ask me (and Lorna), every one of them is a real gem. 

This is above all, of course, the most fabulously fragrant time of the year. Pine, from 

Christmas trees. The aroma of chestnuts roasting on street corners. Spices, rising from 

delicious puddings, pies and mulled drinks. And perfume, perfume, perfume: this is the 

moment to reach for your own very best and most precious scents, to pulse forth from 

wrists, necks – or perhaps from jewellery which has been specially designed to scent the air 

every time you move… 

We’ll be back in the New Year. Meanwhile, have the happiest, sparkliest and most 

gorgeously scented season, won’t you...? 

© picsfive; dwph - Fotolia.com 

www.perfumesociety.org 

The Perfume Society 

@Perfume_Society 

ThePerfumeSociety 

The scented Letter 3

an aromatic life 

Clockwise: an early scent ‘love’; gardenia; 

Eau Sauvage; Roger & Gallet Sandalwood 

Soap, which he tracks down online 

38 the scented letter 

Clockwise: Jasper’s 

hotel terrace; 

Queen Elizabeth I; a 

favourite book about 

smells; Jasper Conran 

Nude Woman 

the scented letter 39 

contributors 

Front cover by Carson Parkin-Fairley; Opposite: asadykov - stock.adobe.com 

scented 

The 

letter 

Editor 

Josephine Fairley 

jo@perfumesociety.org 

Designer 

Jenny Semple 

enquiries@jenny 

sempledesign.co.uk 

Advertising Manager 

Lorna McKay 

lorna@perfumesociety.org 

Senior writer 

Suzy Nightingale 

suzy@perfumesociety.org 

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR 

Maggie Alderson 

HEAD OF SOCIAL MEDIA/ 

EVENTS 

Carson Parkin-Fairley 

carson@perfumesociety.org 

HEAD OF MARKETING 

Jodie Young 

jodie@perfumesociety.org 

JUNIOR BUYER 

Penny Sheard 

penny@perfumesociety.org 

EA to the Editor 

Amy Eason 

amy@josephinefairley.com 

Contact us 

info@perfumesociety.org 

Liberty House 

222 Regent Street 

London W1B 5TR 

Tel: 07502-258759 

The Scented Letter is a 

free online/downloadable 

magazine for subscribers 

to The Perfume Society; 

visit www.perfumesociety. 

org for more information 

memories, dreams, 

reflections 

Jasper Conran OBE is one of the UK’s leading tastemakers, 

designing womenswear, homewares and (yes), jewellery, as well as 

for the theatre and ballet. Most recently, he has opened a hotel in 

Marrakech. And Jasper’s nose is as keen as his eye, we discover… 

What’s the first thing you remember smelling? 

My great-grandmother Mignon’s kitchen in Southsea, in 

Portsmouth. The smells were actually quite rank: a bit 

musty, a bit cabbage-y – really, the aromas of a period in 

time, which you don’t really get today. My grandmother 

used to wheel me around to my great-grandma’s in my 

pushchair every day for a good old gossip. I just sat and 

listened – it was like Coronation Street. (I didn’t actually 

speak till I was four – didn’t feel the need!) 

Jasper Conran 

When did you realise scent was really important to you? 

At about seven, something very strange started to happen 

with my olfactory equipment and I began having smell 

flashbacks when I smelled things like sour milk, apple juice: 

they catapulted me back to a particular place, even at that 

young age. I became incredibly sensitive to smell. At about 

that time I also realised my mother always smelled delicious 

– the classic thing of being kissed goodnight as she left, 

swathed in a fox fur stole with flashing diamonds, smelling 

of Fracas or Miss Dior. 

What was the first fragrance you were given? 

I don’t think anyone’s ever given me a 

fragrance! But I was given soap: Pear’s, with its 

wonderful coal tar smell, as well as Roger & 

Gallet Sandalwood soap and their Carnation 

soap. I still buy those on the internet now, for 

vast amounts of money – honestly, diamonds 

and rubies would be cheaper! 

What was the first fragrance that you bought 

for yourself? 

YSL Rive Gauche. It was completely ‘of the 

moment’ in the 1970s. 

Have you had different fragrances for different phases of 

your life…? 

I moved on to Karl Lagerfeld for Men, and quite soon to 

Dior Eau Sauvage which I wear today, with its delicious 

lemon-y freshness. I forget I’m wearing it, but I love 

to smell Eau Sauvage on clothes, scarves, a sweater; 

I think that’s almost the nicest way to appreciate your 

own fragrance. 

What smell makes you feel happy? 

Not one, but several: coffee, toast, the scent of 

Magnolia grandiflora, lily of the valley… 

What smell always makes you feel a bit sad? 

Dog poo on my shoe. Especially when I realise I’ve 

walked it through the house. That’s a really bad day. 

Jasper Conran OBE is one 

of the UK’s best-known 

designers, beginning his 

career with a collection 

for New York’s Henri 

Bendel department store 

at the age of 19. He turns 

his talents to many 

different creative fields: 

from designing ballets 

and operas to crystal for 

Waterford and china for 

Wedgwood, alongside a 

broad range of 

bestselling collections for 

Debenhams. A life-long 

lover of interesting smells 

– as you can read on p.38 

– he also has his own 

fragrance line. Jasper’s 

latest venture is the 

stunningly-designed 

L’Hotel Marrakech, in that 

city – a new ‘must-visit’ for 

the stylish. Follow him: 

@jasperconran 

© Melinda Fawver; ksi - stock.adobe.com 

What perfume do you like to smell on a man? 

Nothing. I don’t like fragrance on a man – but that’s just me. 

What perfume do you like to smell on a woman? 

I love classic like Fracas, Chanel, No.5, Miss Dior – which 

might be for Freudian reasons because 

my mother wore them, or simply because 

they’re very good smells. That’s the real 

reason fragrances endure for decades. 

Which fragrance from the past have you 

always wanted to smell? 

It’s very intriguing to imagine what Queen 

Elizabeth the First smelled like – it must 

have been quite heady; there were animalic 

ingredients like civet and musk around at 

that time, along with herbs and spices to 

ward off fleas… 

What is your favourite book about smell? 

Elizabeth David’s French Provincial 

Cooking, which I read several times at 

boarding school to conjure up delicious 

foods in my head. She writes brilliantly 

about aromas of food, as well as flavour. 

Find a wide selection of Jasper Conran’s 

fragrances at Debenhams, including the 

most recent Nude Woman, from £20 for 

400ml eau de parfum 

Pia Long 

JasPer’s 

fiVe 

faVoUrite 

smells 

1 A musty drawer I’m often 

found with my nose in a 

drawer; they’re so evocative 

and delicious. 

2 Pear’s Soap I love the 

tarry smell (sadly reduced 

in the modern version), 

and it reminds me of my 

grandmother Ida Florence. 

3 Coq au vin You can’t 

improve on a bit of steaming 

coq on the stove! 

4 Sweet peas There is 

nothing like picking a bunch 

on a summer morning and 

burying my nose in them. 

5 Marrakech I love the 

scents of that city, where I’ve 

just opened my hotel, L’Hotel 

Marrakech. It’s literally like 

being transported back to 

the 12th Century – these 

are the smells of ancient 

times. Leather, spices, metal 

being worked – as well as 

flowers like orange blossom, 

geraniums, jasmine, with 

which I’ve planted the hotel’s 

roof garden. 

l-hotelmarrakech.com 

Pia (along with fellow 

perfumista Nick Gilbert) 

reviews fragrances every 

Friday at Love to Smell, 

one of our favourite 

perfume vlogs. She 

published her first story at 

the age of nine and started 

working with fragrance at 

the age of 14. These twin 

passions have shaped her 

life and career; Pia has a 

monthly column in 

Perfumer & Flavorist 

magazine, is a Council 

member of the British 

Society of Perfumers, and 

in this edition writes about 

fragrant jewels, on p.16. Pia 

is also co-director of 

Olfiction Ltd. and works as 

an independent perfumer 

and a fragrance industry 

consultant. Watch her on: 

youtube.com/c/ 

lovetosmell 

The Scented Letter is produced for The Perfume Society by Perfume Discovery Ltd. All information and prices are correct 

at the time of going to press and may no longer be so on the date of publication. © 2016 The Perfume Society All text, 

graphics and illustrations in The Scented Letter are protected by UK and International Copyright Laws, and may not be 

copied, reprinted, published, translated, hosted or otherwise distributed by any means without explicit permission. 

Stephan Matthews 

Stephan was an actor for 20 

years before entering the 

world of fragrance. He 

graduated from Central 

School of Speech and 

Drama in London, working 

under the stage name of 

Stephen McCarthy. After 

beginning his perfume 

career as a consultant for 

Guerlain, he trained in 

Grasse and subsequently 

became an independent 

expert. He now writes about 

the industry, and his weekly 

offerings can be found at 

stephanmatthews.com or 

on Twitter: @StephanTweets 

Carson Parkin-Fairley 

Carson – who created this 

month’s show-stopping, 

jewel-encrusted cover – is 

also The Perfume Society’s 

‘Instagram Queen’, dashing 

around town photographing 

launches, ‘noses’ and store 

installations. An illustrator 

and writer, Carson was a 

finalist in The Fragrance 

Foundation’s ‘Rising Star’ 

Jasmine Award earlier in 

2016. (She’s also our resident 

mixologist – something 

which comes in very handy 

at this time of year!) Follow 

her personal Instagram: 

@carsonparkinfairley 

4 The scented Letter

3 

30 The scented LeTTer 

1 

4 

1 Atelier Flou Sloane Rose, £195 for 100ml, selfridges.com; 2 Michael Kors Sexy Gift Set, £60, debenhams.com; 

3 Atelier Cologne Emeraude Agar, £220 for 200ml, harrods.com; 4 Prada La Femme, £69 for 50ml eau de, selfridges.com; 

5 Creed Les Royales Exclusives Jardin d’Amalfi, £295 for 75ml, creedfragrances.co.uk 

2 

5 

9 

6 

10 

12 

6 Carolina Herrera 212 VIP, £36 for 30ml eau de parfum, theperfumeshop.com; 7 Tory Burch Holiday Limited Edition, £95 for 100ml, 

harrods.com; 8 Lalique Coffret Gold Crystal Extrait de Parfum, £9,500, lalique.com; 9 Molton Brown Vintage 2016 with Elderflower 

Single Wick Candle, £39, moltonbrown.co.uk; 10 Elie Saab Éclat d’Or Limited Edition, £58 for 50ml, johnlewis.com; 11 CK One Gold, £40 

for 100ml eau de toilette, boots.com; 12 Marc Jacobs Decadence One Eight K, £100, thefragranceshop.co.uk 

7 

11 

8 

The scented LeTTer 31 

contents 

ä 

á 

â 

á 

á 

golden wonders 

kllllllllllm 

á 

Gilt-y pleasures 

â 

á 

ä 

Even when 

Christmas 

shopping for scent, 

remember to write 

fragrance names 

on the blo ters you 

spray. Even we 

can’t remember, 

when we get 

home! 

Qtip 

á 

â 

á 

sparkling scents 

precious perfumes 

We explore the perfume houses 

who excel at capturing the 

glamour and luxury of jewellery, in 

liquid form 

something in the way she moves 

SCENTED WEARABLES 

Pia Long sniffs out the jewellery 

designers and innovators whose 

creations will keep you smelling 

great all day 

ä 

á 

â 

ä 

á 

fragrant gift guide 

PRESENT SCENTS 

We’ve spritzed, we’ve sniffed – and 

from the thousands of perfumed 

gifts out there, here’s our ultimate 

fragrant edit 

10 

16 

21 

ancient and modern 

MYRRH: THE PERFUME 

OF KINGS 

Suzy Nightingale traces the story of 

this fragrant resin – from a gift to the 

infant Jesus, through to today 

34 


MEMORIES, DREAMS, 

REFLECTIONS 

Designer, creator, taste-maker – and 

now hotelier – Jasper Conran OBE 

shares his life in smells 

38 

it takes me right back 

TINSEL 

Unpacking Christmas decorations, 

fragrance expert and blogger 

Stephan Matthews is Tardis-ed 

through time 

46 

3 4 

EDITOR’S LETTER 

CONTRIBUTORS 

6 40 

NOSING AROUND 

LATEST LAUNCHES 


on the scent of news 

nosing around 

Insider info, chic curations – and the hottest happenings from the world of 

perfume. You’ll always read it (and sniff it) here first... 

Scented gems 

for men 

Just in time for our jewel-focused 

edition, Bvlgari (read more 

about them on p.14) launch Le 

Gemme for Men: six luxury scents 

developed by Jacques Cavallier 

(before he departed for Louis 

Vuitton), captured in gem-capped 

bottles evoking amber, red garnet, 

blue sapphire, malachite, black 

onyx and tiger’s eye. 

£215 for 100ml eau de parfum 

At Harrods 

Let’s get personal 

Fragrance is already a wonderfully personal gift – but why not make it 

even more so with The Perfume Shop’s engraving service? It’s available 

on many bottles, starting at just £5.99. The perfect finishing touch... 

theperfumeshop.com 

The most 

cracking gift… 

This surely deserves to top every 

perfume-lover’s wishlist for 2016: 

a customisable bath and bodycare 

extravaganza featuring a 100ml 

Cologne or Cologne Intense, 175ml 

Body Crème, 200g Home Candle 

and 250ml Body & Hand Wash (you 

get to choose the fragrances). All 

together now: ‘Dear Santa…’ 

£206-245 At Jo Malone London stores 


an air of sophistication 

16 The scented LeTTer 

Looking for a perfume that will make you sit a little straighter, 

stand a little taller, feel a little more sophisticated? Follow 

the lead of noses-in-the-know, and seek out a scent from sochic 

(albeit confusing) Chypre family – currently enjoying a 

renaissance – advises Suzy Nightingale 

The world of perfume 

said to have slept on a bed of moss – so 

terminology can befuddle the best of us perhaps that’s another nod to the island 

at times. But the basic fragrance families it’s inspired by. But no matter how many 

shouldn’t cause any consternation, right...? notes a Chypre includes, you’ll almost 

Citrus? Easy-peasy [literally] lemonsqueezy. 

Woody? Does what it says on rounded and harmoniously tempered: a 

certainly find everything voluptuously 

the bottle. Oriental? Slighty more taxing, Rubenesque body in a perfectly tailored, 

but pretty much everyone can imagine so-chic suit that kisses every plumptious 

something richly flamboyant. But if you curve. 

happen to know what the term ‘Chypre’ 

Who was the first perfumer to invent 

actually means, you’re in the minority: the Chypre? The term ‘Chypre’ as a 

when The Perfume Society co-founders name for an accord is mentioned in 18th 

embarked on a national tour for their 

Century perfume manuals and there 

book The Perfume Bible, only a handful are even suggestions the fragrance 

of attendees on the entire book tour, 

composition could date back to Roman 

when asked, professed to know the exact times. In Guerlain’s vintage archive, there 

definition. So, let us begin… 

is a fragrance by the name of ‘Chypre de 

First off, say it ‘sheep-rah’. Next, its Paris’ dating back to 1909. (We’ve smelled 

origins: Chypre is French for Cyprus – it; it is sublime.) But François Coty was 

birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of the first to popularise the family, with the 

love. And because many of the aromatic eponymously titled Chypre perfume of 

plants which are common to ‘Chypre’ 

1917. 

scents flourished, at some point, on that 

For his composition, Coty took 

island, that’s generally accepted to be how sparkling bergamot and added a floral 

this fragrance family got its name. 

heart of jasmine, rose and lilac with the 

Classically an interplay between 

suede softness of orris as a buffer to 

bergamot, oakmoss and labdanum (a 

potential shrieking. In the base addictive 

resin from rock rose, which once upon a vanillin and coumarin smoothly settled 

time was harvested from the hair of goats on that oakmoss and patchouli with dry, 

that grazed on that shrub), Chypres can smoky vetiver, creamy sandalwood and a 

be ramped up to be more floral, fruity or healthy dose of animalic labdanum, styrax, 

woody – often with generous amounts civet and musk. 

of further citrus in the top notes. But it’s 

In The Essence of Perfume, Roja Dove 

that quintessential mossy-ness which is at describes how ‘...Coty managed to put 

the heart of its character. Aphrodite was the gentlest whisper of orris, vanillin, 

1 Guerlain Mitsouko 

Impossibly elegant bride 

walks through a forest, 

lost in reverie, draped in 

mist and a gauzy couture 

gown. 

2 Clinique Aromatics 

Elixir Quixotic heroine 

clutches herbaceous 

bouquet while saving the 

day in tones of tweed. 

3 Rochas Femme 

All hips and wiggle in 

plunging neckline plum 

velvet, batting away 

admirers with a flick of her 

feathered fan. 

4 Bottega Veneta Italian 

country house party 

guest runs barefoot in 

the garden, slipping in 

the library to get more 

intimately acquainted. 

The scented LeTTer 17 

boxing clever 

The art of the 

The Perfume Society has a fabulous Discovery Box for everyone on your Christmas list 

– and at every price. Visit perfumesociety.org/SHOP – and tick, tick, tick… 

bottle 

(PS Scroll down to VIEW THE ARCHIVE if you don’t see them any of them at first glance) 

For dapper chaps… 

For the fashionista in your life… 

The Scent of a Gent/£15 (£19 for non-VIPs) 

Scents of Style/£12.50 (£17.50 non-VIPs) 

All-British - for an English rose… 

For lovers of opulence and luxury… 

Shay & Blue Precious Minatures/£55 (£65 non-VIPs) 

Ormonde Jayne Discovery Set/£43.20 (£48 for non-VIPs) 

For anyone who’s often up, 

up and away… 

And for a far-flung 

fragrance-lover… 

Chypre 

ThriLLs 

Try Before You Fly/£12.50 (£17.50 non-VIPs) 

Overseas subscription to The Scented Letter on-line/£20 


on the scent of news 

Striking oils 

Wear these layerable luxuries on their own for subtle wafts – or to create the 

perfect ‘base coat’ for your fragrance, which will last longer and be timereleased 

with something to cling to 

Charmed, 

we’re sure 

Every time our co-founder 

Lorna McKay wears 

this necklace, she gets 

compliments. It had gone 

out of production – but 

we’ve had a limited edition 

of just 100 re-created, to 

celebrate our jewellerythemed 

edition. Perfume 

Society VIPs can find the 

necklace for £19.95 (£24.95 

to non-VIPs, both + p&p) at 

perfumesociety.org/SHOP 

(Just scroll down to MORE 

GORGEOUS GIFTS) 

This delicatelyscented 

body 

treat is an 

utterly sensedelighting 

way 

to veil yourself 

in eternally 

classic Nº5... 

Chanel N05 The 

Body Oil/£62 for 

500ml 

We’ve rather 

fallen for this 

utterly ravishing 

fruity-Chypre 

oil, from the 

screen diva. (And 

so have many 

bloggers.) 

Joan Collins I Am 

Woman Skin Silk 

Body Oil/£18 for 

100ml 

joancollinsbeauty. 

com 

New additions 

to FM’s glorious 

bodycare capture 

the fragrances so, 

so well. (And was 

packaging ever 

more chic…?) 

Frederic Malle 

Portrait of a Lady 

Hair & Body 

Oil/£130 for 

200ml and Shower 

Cream £40 for 

200ml 

This beautiful 

new J’adore 

indulgence is 

a sinks-in-fast 

oil that leaves 

skin looking and 

feeling radiant. 

Dior J’adore 

Dry Silky Body 

Oil/£45 for 

150ml 

Please share 

your stash! 

Early in 2017 we’re planning an 

edition of the magazine around 

perfume collectors, museums 

and collectible bottles. We’re 

also really interested in how 

people store their fragrances – 

though few of us will do so as 

glamorously as Odette Toilette, 

whose travelling trunk is pictured 

here. Isn’t it time you shared the 

scented love, and revealed your 

collection…? Just e-mail us: 

info@perfumesociety.org 

Joy to the world 

An eye-catching seasonal 

collaboration between Miller 

Harris and fashion designer Matty 

Bovan: this Fig Amère candle, 

wick-trimmer and matches, in a 

keepsake box. And for more candle 

loveliness? Just turn to p.26. 

millerharris.com 


a whiff of history 

Lives of the great noses: 

Ernest Daltroff 

Caron perfumer Ernest 

Daltroff blazed a glittering trail 

through early 20th Century 

perfumery, creating legendary 

perfume landmarks including 

Narcisse Noir and Tabac Blond. 

Daltroff was born on 17th 

November 1867 into an intellectual, 

cosmopolitan, middle-class Russian 

Jewish family based in Paris. As a 

child he travelled with his family to 

South America and the Middle East 

– and it was here that he memorised 

the scents of the tropical flowers, 

fruits and spices of exotic places. 

As a young man, charmed by the 

scents and personages of corseted 

ladies, Daltroff decided to become 

a perfumer – despite having no 

formal training. His first business 

acquisition was the perfumery Emilia 

(founded in 1899), but he went on 

to purchase Parfumerie Caron from 

Anne-Marie Caron in 1903. 

Ernest Daltroff’s debut launches 

in 1904 were the perfumes Royal 

Caron and Radiant. The same year, 

Caron found premises at 10 Rue De 

La Paix in Paris, and began his scent 

seduction of that city. But it was in 

the spring of 1906 that Daltroff’s 

life really changed: he fell in love. 

Félicie Vanpouille was a 32-year-old 

dressmaker who Daltroff saw on the 

stairs of Rue de la Paix every day. 

Daltroff asked Vanpouille for advice 

on the perfumes, and she ultimately 

took charge of Caron’s presentation, 

from bottle to box and display. 

‘In 1917 Daltroff 

dedicated a 

perfume to his muse: 

N’aimez Que Moi – 

“Love Only Me”’ 

Meanwhile Caron was gaining 

popularity amongst a French and 

foreign clientele. 

It was a hugely successful 

business partnership. In 1911, 

Daltroff created Narcisse Noir, a 

beautiful conflation of orange and 

orange blossom with a flowery-fruity 

base of rose, jasmine, musk, vetiver 

and sandalwood. Vanpouille housed 

it in a transparent crystal flacon with 

black opaque crystal stopper, from 

Cristallerie Pantin. Caron and crystal 

have become synonymous, with 

precious crystal fountains still used 

to dispense fragrance in the chicest 

perfumeries, around the world. 

In 1917 Daltroff dedicated a 

perfume to his muse Vanpouille: 

N’aimez Que moi (‘Love Only Me’). 

By 1919, hemlines were rising, 

women were bobbing their hair and 

a new dance. The Charleston had 

become popular. So to celebrate 

this new spirit of abandon, Daltroff 

and Vanpouille launched Tabac 

Blond, the first Chypre to use a 

daring leathery note, alongside a 

note of sweet Virginian tobacco. 

It was an immediate hit – and 

continues to enchant today. 

Sadly the love story between 

Daltroff and Vanpouille waned by 

the mid-1920s. Daltroff was too 

absorbed in the business to commit 

to marriage. She felt neglected and 

they split up, with fortysomething 

Vanpouille marrying Jean Bergaud, 

an aeronautical hero, in 1926. 

Daltroff continued to create 

perfumes for Caron – but mindful of 

what was happening to other Jews 

in Europe, he fled to New York in 

1940 and sadly died there in 1941 

alone and depressed. Vanpouille, 

however, managed to hang on to 

the company – only retiring (at 92) 

in 1962. 

And though their love affair may 

have failed, the perfume house 

Ernest Daltroff and created together 

lives on – and continues to bewitch 

perfumistas with its romance, today. 

By Bethan Cole 

From left: a Caron crystal fountain; ‘muse’ Félicie Vanpouille; vintage Tabac Blond; an early Caron advertisement 


precious 

perfumes 

scents with extra sparkle 

Some of the most celebrated jewellery names in the world succeed beautifully 

in distilling the glamour of their designs into scents for men and women. Here, 

Jo Fairley shares the stories behind some dazzling perfume houses… 

BOUCHERON 

How do you capture the sparkle of 

jewellery, in a bottle? Boucheron 

have excelled at that for 30 years. 

Their bejewellled heritage, though, 

goes back much further: over 150 

years, since Frédéric Boucheron was 

the very first jeweller to set up shop on 

Place Vendôme – which remains the 

epicentre of Paris’s fine jewellery world. 

Boucheron’s special order book 

became a roll-call of the wealthiest 

and most celebrated people in the 

world: Tsar Nicholas II, the legendary 

courtesan Countess Castiglione 

(‘the Divine One’, whose conquests 

included Napoleon III) – and our own 

Queen Mother, alongside Edith Piaf 

and Ava Gardner (who actually inspired 

an entire line of Boucheron gems). 

In 1988, Francis Deléamont and 

Jean-Pierre Béthouard were tasked 

with the creation of Boucheron’s debut 

scent. As Alain Boucheron (whose 

great-great-grandfather founded 

the house) explained at the time: ‘I 

wanted women to be able to share 

a dream of A Thousand and One 

Nights – because our business is to 

make them even more desirable…’ 

Adds Béthouard: ‘The perfume had to 

capture the sparkle, the light and the 

splendor of a multi-faceted jewel – and 

at the same time, create a voluptuous, 

exceptionally feminine feeling.’ As for 

the bottle, only a ring would do. 

Since then, we’ve adorned ourselves 

with Jaipur Bracelet, Place Vendôme 

(with its multi-faceted flacon) – and 

most recently, the divine Quatre: a 

modern interpretation of Boucheron’s 

collection of stackable earrings, rings 

and bracelets of the same name, 

whose ultra-modern design is a play 

on materials and techniques, based on 

yellow, white and pink gold (echoed in 

the bottle’s cap). And the fragrance? 

Bursting with powdery-roses, sensual 

musks, delivering a soft veil of cedar, 

the creation of a talented trio of 

Antoine Maisondieu, Nadège Le 

Garlantezec and Natalie Gracia-Cetto. 

To quote Alain Boucheron: ‘A 

woman wears both jewellery and 

fragrance and both recall the happy 

moments of her life. But sadly, 

jewellery has no scent. That’s what is 

missing…’ But not now. Not now… 

boucheron.com 

Below, from left: Boucheron’s Place Vendôme flagship. The innovative ring-shaped bottle for Boucheron’s debut fragrance, alongside the 

cabochon sapphire ring that inspired it. Quatre is Boucheron’s latest blockbuster, echoing the ‘stackable’ Quatre jewels collection 


Mathilde Laurent, 

below centre, 

was inspired for 

La Panthère by 

Cartier’s famous 

historic and 

contemporary 

Panther collection 

“ 

Perfumes, like jewels, speak to us of love. 

They provide the link to enchantment, 

style, elegance and a particular lifestyle 

” 

Alain-Dominique Perrin 

CARTIER 

Cartier has been supplying 

breathtaking jewellery to the elite 

since 1847, when Louis-François 

Cartier registered his hallmark in 

Paris. Edward VII described Cartier 

as ‘the jeweller of kings and the king 

of jewellers’ – not surprisingly, since 

this house crafted all 27 tiaras worn at 

Edward’s coronation… 

High points in Cartier’s history 

include Richard Burton’s gift to 

Elizabeth Taylor in 1969 of a flawless 

69.42 carat pear-shaped diamond. 

Prince Rainer of Monaco chose 

Cartier to create the 10.47 emeraldcut 

engagement ring for his proposal 

to Grace Kelly. But in the 1970s and 

1980s, Cartier became that bit more 

accessible to the rest of us, via lighters, 

jewellery, luggage – and fragrance. 

Their scented debut was the green- 

Oriental Must de Cartier. Cartier’s 

then-president Alain-Dominique Perrin 

commented: ‘Perfumes, like jewels, 

speak to us of love. They provide the 

link to enchantment, style, elegance 

and a particular lifestyle.’ Since then, 

we’ve enjoyed Baiser Volé, Délices de 

Cartier – and most recently, Cartier 

La Panthère, created by Mathilde 

Laurent, who joined in 2005, and is one 

of a handful of perfumers working inhouse, 

anywhere in the perfume world. 

Regarded as one of the most 

exciting ‘noses’ on the planet, 

Mathilde has propelled Cartier into an 

exciting fragrance future. A modern 

Chypre, La Panthère has been widely 

acclaimed. Its ‘feline-floral’ accord 

is inspired by Cartier’s dazzling 

‘Panther’ collection – and showcased 

in a bottle which features an internal 

sculpture, evoking the majestic big 

cat. (It’s available for this season in the 

stunning Edition Soir, see left). 

Mathilde observes: ‘As in jewellery, 

when you have a wonderful diamond 

or exceptional stone available, it’s 

not necessary to add lots of little 

stones in every colour to it, because 

you are already in the presence of a 

magnificent piece. So when I try to 

create a perfume, I find my inspiration 

in the ingredient itself – which I instill 

into its purest and rarest version. It 

dominates the perfume – as present 

and palpable as a spectacular stone in 

the centre of a necklace…’ 

cartier.com 



From top: Martine 

Micallef. A crystal 

falcon cap. Below: 

M. Micallef Ylang in 

Gold fragrance 

12 The scented Letter 

M. MICALLEF 

Micallef isn’t a jewellery house in the 

traditional sense – but their bottles 

are the closest things to gems that a 

perfume-lover could wish to own. 

Like Van Cleef & Arpels (opposite), 

M. Micallef was born out of a love 

affair – in this case, between banker 

Geoffrey Nejman and French beauty 

entrepreneur Martine Micallef. They 

met, fell head over heels – and 

M. Micallef, founded in Grasse, was 

the result. ‘From the start,’ explains 

Martine, ‘we decided to produce 

luxury perfumes in magnificent 

flacons that are collectibles.’ 

Every bottle is designed with 

great artistic flair by Martine, and in 

the hundreds of stores across more 

than 60 countries which showcase 

M. Micallef fragrances, fragrance 

advisors are actually trained as artists. 

Explains Martine: ‘We developed the 

idea that a person should be able 

to complement your bottle when 

you buy it with additional Swarovski 

crystals, engraving your name – or 

perhaps painting a few flowers on it, 

at your request.’ 

The fragrances are as opulent 

as the flacons which protect them, 

developed in a creative ‘triangle’ 

with perfumer Jean-Claude Astier. 

What they have in common, explains 

Martine, ‘is a sensuality, warmth and 

a softness.’ Much-loved in the Middle 

East, quite a few of the creations 

feature oudh, for its richness – but 

there is something for everyone: 

floriental Mon Parfum Crystal (with 

its sparkling transparency), tuberosepowered 

Ananda, or woodsy, spiced 

Gaiac. Sometimes, the fragrance 

comes first. Other times, explains 

Martine, ‘I may have already designed 

a bottle for which Geoffrey has to 

adapt the fragrance to suit it… We 

always work together at some stage.’ 

The most stunning and exclusive 

bottles in The Jewel Collection are 

adorned with crystal falcons, or 

gilded with dancing elephants. Handcrafted 

and mouth-blown in Grasse, 

these may be filled with the M. 

Micallef fragrance of your choice. 

And if money’s really no object? 

Unique bottles can be created in 

collaboration with a Swiss goldsmith, 

in 24-carat gold capped with semiprecious 

or even precious stones: 

birds, stallions… Whatever your 

heart desires, in fact. And your bank 

balance allows… 

mmicallef.com 

“ 

Unique bottles can 

be created from 

24-carat gold and 

semi-precious (or 

even precious) stones 

”

From left: So First is Van 

Cleef & Arpels’s debut 

gourmand fragrance. 

Above, Antoine 

Maisondeau, who has 

worked a lot for the 

perfume/jewel house. 

Below, treasures from 

VC&A’s winter 2016 

Snowflake collection 

VAN CLEEF & ARPELS 

Van Cleef & Arpels is a love story 

– expressed in fine jewels, and 

exquisite fragrances. Dutch craftsman 

Alfred Van Cleef – an expert in cutting 

precious stones – fell in love with the 

daughter of a dealer in those stones, 

Estelle Arpels. He sealed the deal not 

only with marriage, but by setting up 

business with his brother-in-law Charles 

Arpels – and in 1906, they opened 

their doors to Paris society in the Place 

Vendôme, the square where VC&A’s 

store can still be found, today… 

VC&A’s designs often take 

elements of nature – and of fantasy 

– to weave floral stories: roses, palm 

leaves, butterflies (and for this winter, 

snowflakes). Though the jewellery 

house is way, way too discreet to 

share the names of clients, countless 

high-profile beauties have been 

photographed draped in their creations 

– from Grace Kelly to Sharon Stone, 

Scarlett Johanssen to Julia Roberts. 

When Jean-Claude Ellena was 

commissioned to create First for the 

perfume house – back in 1976 – it was 

literally the first ‘jewellery fragrance’ in 

the world. As Pierre Arpels (part of the 

VC&A dynasty) explained, ‘I dreamed 

of a perfume in the image of our 

jewels: discreet but precious, fleeting 

but very present.’ 

With its perfect balance of flowery, 

warm, aldehydic and spicy notes, 

First became a landmark, timeless 

and sublime. Since then, VC&C has 

has worked with many of the world’s 

greatest noses – including Nathalie 

Lorson on the new gourmand So First. 

The luxurious Van Cleef & Arpels 

Collection Extraordinaire, meanwhile, 

sets out to showcase specific 

ingredients in their utmost glory – and 

does the same for the talented lineup 

of perfumers who created those 

fragrances: Nathalie Cetto, Emilie 

Copperman, Mark Buxton and Antoine 

Maisondeau (pictured above right). 

Pierre Arpels mused on the 

relationship between jewellery and 

perfume, at the time VC&A unveiled 

First. ‘They are the two adornments of 

women,’ he commented. ‘A dress is 

a part of a woman’s wardrobe… Her 

shoes and handbag are accessories. 

But you could never call a jewel an 

accessory. Nor a perfume. To me, 

perfume is the final adornment…’ 

vancleefarpels.com 

“ 

I dreamed of a perfume in the image of our jewels: 

discreet but precious, fleeting but very present 

Pierre Arpels 

” 



BVLGARI 

The story of Bulgari began in a tiny 

Greek village, Epirus, where Sotirio 

Bulgari created precious objects from 

silver. He crossed the Med to Naples, 

then on to Rome – and in 1884, 

opened his first jewellery store. 

But it was Sotirio’s sons, Constantino 

and Giorgio, who fell in love with 

precious stones, learned the secrets of 

the trade – and took Bulgari to a whole 

new level. The rich and famous flocked 

to Bulgari’s stores: Audrey Hepburn, 

Sophia Loren, Lauren Bacall... Most 

famously, perhaps, Richard Burton and 

Elizabeth Taylor sealed their love with 

an 18.61 carat emerald, surrounded 

by pear-cut diamonds, which she wore 

on their wedding day. (Richard Burton 

once joked that the only Italian word 

his wife knew was ‘Bulgari’.) 

In 1992, the launch of Bulgari Eau 

Parfumée Thé Vert opened a new 

chapter in their glittering history, with 

this fresh, delicate fragrance becoming 

a true scent icon. Thé Blanc, Jasmin 

Noir, Mon Jasmin Noir and the Omnia 

collection, have followed. 

The opulent Le Gemme collection, 

launched in 2014, is an homage to 

Bulgari’s gem stones, via its jewel-like, 

curvaceous bottles; perfumer Daniela 

Andrier took her inspiration from the 

colours of the stones – each a hymn to 

colour, light and emotion. 

And most recently, the renowned 

Alberto Morillas has been working his 

magic on Bulgari fragrances, creating 

the radiantly musk-powered, sensual 

Goldea – which has Cleopatra as 

its muse – as well as its new, ultrafeminine 

incarnation, Rose Goldea. 

‘In every new story, I choose the 

purest and most extraordinarily 

precious olfactive materials. And 

among all of the gems of my 

perfumer’s palette, musks are like the 

talismans of Bulgari,’ he continues 

– here, used in the most generous 

quantities. ‘Just like a jeweller,’ he 

explains, ‘I wanted to sculpt the 

radiance of gold – and create a deep 

and sensual fragrance that literally 

radiates on a woman’s naked skin.’ 

And as Morillas concludes: ‘Bulgari’s 

perfumes really are jewels. They are set 

with precious materials and express a 

unique play of reflections and lights…’ 

bulgari.com 

“ 

Bvlgari’s perfumes 

really are jewels. They 

are set with precious 

materials and express a 

unique play of reflections 

and lights 

” 

Alberto Morillas 

From top: the 

radiant Goldea 

– inspired by 

Cleopatra. Its 

creator, Alberto 

Morillas. Bulgari 

is known for its 

stunningly colourful 

stones – as seen 

in this covetable 

bracelet. And left, 

a highly-polished 

Bulgari necklace 

draped over a bottle 

from the recent (and 

very exclusive) Le 

Gemme Collection 


Orlov 

If it is possible to have diamonds in 

your DNA, they surely feature in Ruth 

Méaulle’s double helix. She comes 

from a long-established family of 

diamond traders – and is an expert in 

this hushed, confidential world. 

Fragrance and diamonds are 

inextricably linked, believes the 

gemologist. ‘They are two things that 

are worn on the skin – and go 

beautifully together…’ As a dealer, 

many stones have passed through 

Ruth’s hands – yet she owns only a 

few. ‘With fragrance, it’s different,’ she 

explains. ‘I haven’t counted them, but 

there must be at least 200…’ 

As she built her collection, Ruth 

realised many had one thing in 

common: their creator, Dominique 

Ropion. So when Ruth had the dream 

to create her own perfume house – 

Orlov launched in 2015 – there was 

nobody else for the task, and she 

enlisted Ropion as her perfumer. 

It was vital, she explains, ‘that each 

creation captured the all-important 

history of the legendary diamonds 

which inspired them.’ The very names 

of these diamonds conjured up 

stories in Ruth’s imagination. Like the 

flawless 100.10-carat pear-shaped 

Star of the Season, sold for a record 

$16.5 million to a Saudi sheikh – 

evoked by Ropion via orange 

blossom, rose, iris, patchouli, 

sandalwood and vanilla. 

Or the 280-carat South African Cross 

of Asia, whose facets resemble a 

Maltese cross, conjured up in a 

fragrant tribute to the Far East with 

ylang ylang, amber and musk. 

Then there’s the Orlov diamond, 

which gave its name to the whole 

collection: a spectacular 189-carat 

white diamond which changed hands 

several times, but was ultimately given 

by Count Grigory Orlov (1734-1783) 

to his former lover, the Empress 

Catherine – who had it set atop the 

Imperial Sceptre of Russia. For this, 

Ropion reached for a bouquet of 

white flowers – tuberose, sambac 

jasmine, orange blossom – adding 

bergamot for sparkle, musk and 

vanilla for depth. 

Famously, diamonds are a girl’s 

best friend. But what about 

fragrance…? ‘The difference,’ smiles 

Ruth Méaulle, ‘is that fragrance is a 

more accessible luxury.’ 

And thank heavens for that. 

orlovparis.com 

“ 

Fragrance and 

diamonds are two 

things that are 

worn on the skin – 

and go beautifully 

together… 

” 

Ruth Méaulle 

From top: 

Orlov’s Ruth and 

Thomas Méaulle. 

Dominique 

Ropion, perfumer. 

The diamondinspired 

perfumes. 


the master of modern femininity 


Scented 

the ancient new trend 

Portrait, above, 

by Pieter 

Jansz Pourbus: 

‘Unknown 

Woman Holding 

a Pomander on 

a Gold Chain’ 

(1560-1565) 

Trust us, perfume jewellery is the 

coming thing – though it it isn’t really 

new at all. The ancient Egyptians, 

for instance, wore perfume ‘cones’ 

on their jet black wigs, which slowly 

melted in the merciless midday 

sun to release a scent of (say) lilies, 

cardamom and blue lotus. Beeswax 

and animal fat would trickle down the 

back of the neck, too, adding their 

own unmistakeable aromas – and 

perhaps cooling the wearer down a 

little as they settled on her skin. 

Through millennia, actually (right 

back to those Egyptian times), scents 

have been worn not just on the body 

– but enjoyed via lockets, amulets, 

charms and châtelaines (decorative 

belts worn at the waist), their aromatic 

chambers filled with balms, herbs, 

dried flowers and resins. Pomanders, 

for instance, were a medieval 

fragrance carrier which took many 

forms, from simple recipes of groundup 

and heated aromatic substances 

formed into a ball, to complex 

formulas and highly ornamental 

designs. The word pomander comes 

from the French pomme d’ambre, 

meaning ‘ambergris apple’; ambergris, 

that famous product of the digestive 

tract of the sperm whale, was a 

common fixative for the scent and an 

aid to forming the ‘apple’ shape. 

Gold, silver and bejewelled 

pomanders were carried on belts, 

bracelets and necklaces by the 

wealthy, in particular, to ward off 

miasmic bad smells. More elaborate 

versions contained sections for 

different fragrant materials – although 

gradually, pomanders fell from favour 

when germ theory replaced miasma 


wearables 

Pia Long sniffs out the jewellery designers and innovators 

whose creations will keep you smelling great all day 

theory in disease prevention. 

Today, the pleasures of perfume 

jewellery are being rediscovered, 

with designers turning their talents 

to beautiful perfume bijoux. (And as 

you’ll see on p.19, in the 21st Century 

we’re moving from aromatic jewellery 

to ‘fragrant wearables’ – where 

technological innovation meets luxury 

design concepts.) 

These gems are perfect for anyone 

who longs to keep a comforting scent 

close, who’d like to be able to switch 

scents with ease depending on the 

situation they find themselves in, who 

perhaps loves perfume but gets a 

rash from wearing it - or simply works 

in a situation where fragrance can’t 

be worn on skin, for whatever reason. 

And there’s another advantage, too: 

as the wearer moves around, through 

the day (and on into the night), the 

fragrance within makes its presence 

known, time and again, waft after 

gorgeous waft. 

As those cone-wearing Egyptians 

surely knew… 

By Kilian 

Designs by Kilian 

Hennessy, one of the 

best-known names in 

contemporary scented 

jewellery 

Kilian Hennessy’s heritage of Cognac-making steered him towards aromatic 

arts and the creation of a luxury perfume brand. Now, his By Kilian brand also 

offers cleverly designed scented jewellery: two collections so far, with more 

sure to follow. The Moonlight collection features stunning Art Deco styling 

with cleverly-concealed ceramic vessels which you spritz with fragrance, 

holding onto it all day (and night). There are eight designs, including cufflinks 

for men. Options include 14K yellow gold-plated or white rhodium, some 

with Australian mother-of-pearl or Swarovski pavé crystals. 

From £155 

At By Kilian boutiques (Harrods Salon de Parfums and Burlington Arcade) 


the master of modern femininity 


Loree Rodkin 

for By Kilian 

Featured above and left: By Kilian’s 

new high-end collection features 

over 100 grey diamonds in each 

piece, and has been designed in 

collaboration with the jewellery world 

rock star Loree Rodkin – whose stellar 

fans include include Cher, Michelle 

Obama and the late Elizabeth Taylor. 

Observes Kilian: ‘Loree’s pieces of 

jewellery are like erotic armour, mixing 

Gothic style and Art Nouveau in a 

truly unique way. Her jewellery makes 

you feel sexy, yet shielded at the same 

time. In that sense, she is the exact 

translation in jewellery of what I try to 

convey in my scents.’ 

From 2700 euros bykilian.com 

Mandy Aftel 

The ancient ideas of fragrances worn close to skin, of healing, and of 

decorative containers are combined in Mandy Aftel’s love of antique 

objects as containers for her solid perfumes (see the trio ranged 

left). Wearing them on the body warms the waxy scent perfectly 

for easy application. The lockets – each a unique antique – can be 

attached to chains and may be sent back to Mandy for refilling. 

Alternatively, have a go at making your own by following the 

instructions in her book Scents & Sensibilities (Gibbs Smith, 2005). 

From £240 aftelier.com 


Tijon 

Tijon fragrance lab and boutique 

in La Jolla, California is a popular 

destination for its fragrance-making 

workshops. But when store owner 

Jovan Van Drielle returned from a 

life-changing adventure in France 

– which included a tour of the 

Osmothèque in Versailles – Jovan 

found out she had Stage Three breast 

cancer. She immediately wanted to 

create something that could act as 

almost a talisman for herself and 

other women in her situation. The 

Tijon Heartlink necklace is the result, 

containing Colorado limestone that 

can be sprayed with any fragrance 

– offering the comfort of a familiar 

scent even in situations where 

fragrance might not be allowed to be 

worn. (Such as many hospitals and 

doctor’s offices, in the United States). 

From $40 tijon.com 

Lisa Hoffman 

Lisa Hoffman (she’s married to Dustin...) creates jewelled objects not unlike 

medieval pomanders – except that the technology for the scent contained 

within has moved on to something resembling Guerlain’s Météorites beads in 

appearance. First, choose your item of jewellery – necklaces, earrings, bracelets, 

with precious and semi-precious stones and metals. Then choose from seven 

different tubes containing Fragrance Beads: little scented orbs with which to fill 

each item of jewellery, allowing you to enjoy subtle but sustained wafts of scent 

all day. (The scent really does last remarkably well in this format.) 

From £58 + £30 for the Refill Beads 

thescentcity.com 

Jenny Tillotson 

For centuries, perfumed jewels 

have allowed the wearer to 

store a little scent in a bottle, 

enjoy the herbs and spices 

drifting nostril-wards from 

a pomander, or maybe dab 

on a little solid scent. Today, 

innovators are exploring 

state-of-the-art technologies 

to modernise such personal 

perfumed pleasures. Dr. Jenny 

Tillotson was definitely ahead 

of her time in 1997 when 

her PhD focused on the idea 

of ‘personal scent bubbles’ 

which would be created using 

miniaturised scent objects 

woven directly into fabrics 

or worn as discreet items of 

jewellery. Her eScent project 

has been making steady 

progress and winning awards 

since then; she is currently 

researching at the University 

of Cambridge, where she 

hopes to move this concept 

from science fiction to fashion 

reality. Jenny is particularly 

fond of the Alan Kay quote: 

‘The best way to predict the 

future is to invent it…’ 

escent.ai 

In addition to the designers featured 

here, it’s worth checking out Etsy, 

where creators include Cardiff-based 

Lydia Niziblian and Feralstrumpet, 

whose fragrant wares are showcased 

alongside collectible vintage pieces. 

Simply type ‘fragrance jewellery’ into 

etsy.com 


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We’ve spritzed, we’ve sniffed – and from the 

kllllllllllm 

thousands of perfumed gifts out there, we’ve edited 

this scented selection down, to save your precious 

shoe leather. So here is... 

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Present 

Scents 

â 

The Perfume Society’s ultimate 

12-page fragrant gift guide

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kllllllllllm 

stocking fillers 

á 

Beautiful baubles 

...cracking crackers and little treats 

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2 

3 

All products were available at time of going to press 

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1 Ghost Eclipse Bauble, £8 for 10ml eau de parfum and Body Lotion duo/theperfumeshop.com 2 Diptyque Limited Edition Carousel, 

£30/diptyqueparis.com 3 Aromatherapy Associates Star Jewels, £34 for 3 x 9ml /aromatherapyassociates.com 

4 Ted Baker Ted’s Twinkling Trio, £25 for 3 x 5ml eau de toilette and 3 x Nail Polish/debenhams.com 

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Spritz a pillowcase 

or stocking with 

room spray to 

set the scene 

on Christmas 

morning. Notes 

of frankincense, 

orange and spice 

are seasonally 

perfect... 

10Qtip 

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5 Jo Malone London Scented Ceramic Christmas Ornament, £32/jomalone.com 6 Marc Jacobs Decadence Pen Sprays Gift Set, 

£60 for 3 x 10ml eau de parfum/boots.com 7 Crabtree & Evelyn Feast for the Senses Hand Therapy Crackers, 

£40 for 12 (each with a duo of 10g Hand Creams)/crabtree-evelyn.co.uk 8 Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely Bauble, £10 for 5ml eau de parfum/ 

superdrug.com 9 Caudalie Divine Oil Bauble, £8 for 30ml/caudalie.com 10 Rituals Fortune Crackers, £19.50 for six/Rituals stores 

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clever curations 

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Scented sets 

...to send everyone's spirits soaring 

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1 Chloé Eau de Toilette Gift Set, £80 for 75ml/johnlewis.com 2 Neom Christmas Wish Home Collection, £45/neomorganics.com 

3 BYREDO La Sélection de Fête, £88 for 6 x 12ml eau de parfum/libertylondon.com 

4 Alaïa Paris Gift Set, £63 for 50ml/houseoffraser.co.uk 

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Qtip 

Looking to buy 

perfume for a 

friend? Go to ‘FIND 

A FRAGRANCE’ 

on the top menu 

of perfumesociety. 

org and key in 

something they 

like. It's magic, 

honestly! 

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5 Liz Earle Fragrance Layering Kit, £35 for 3 x 10ml eau de parfum/lizearle.com 6 Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Gift Set, £64 for 50ml/escentual.com 

7 Michael Kors Deluxe Glam Jasmine Gift Set, £82 for 100ml/lookfantastic.com 8 Van Cleef & Arpels So First Christmas Gift Set, 

£48 for 50ml/johnlewis.com 9 Carven L’Absolu Christmas Gift Set, £58 for 50ml/debenhams.com. 

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CHRISTMAS CANDLES 

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Flickeringly fabulous 

...home fragrance picks 

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2 

Never burn a 

candle for more 

than four hours at 

a time, or the scent 

will be altered. 

(But always burn 

it to the edges, 

first time, to avoid 

‘tunnelling’.) 

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4 

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1 Etro Christmas Candle Choose from Orange de Noël, Golden Tree, Safran Rose, £56 for 160g/harveynichols.com 2 Annick Goutal Limited 

Edition Noel Candle Citrus, Siberian pine, resin, £60 for 300g/escentual.com 3 Diptyque Le Roi Sapin Candle Resin, cedar, patchouli, 

£48 for 190g/diptyqueparis.com 4 Fornasetti Profumi Golden Burlesque Candle Mediterranean herbs, thyme, orris, cedarwood, 

£125 for 300g/harrods.com 5 Jo Malone London Christmas Miniatures Candle Collection Pomegranate Noir, Peony & Blush Suede, Green 

Tomato Leaf, Sweet Almond & Macaroon, Frosted Cherry & Clove fragrances, £66 for 5 x 35g/jomalone.co.uk 


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6 Birch & Brook Limited Edition Library Candle Cinnamon, clove, cedarwood, moss, £38/birchandbrook.co.uk 7 Ormonde Jayne Nocturne 

Christmas Candle Cedar, cardamom, sandalwood, £68 for 290g/ormondejayne.com 8 By Appointment Only Prayer Room Candle Smoked 

patchouli, vanilla, tobacco, £55 for 240g/byappointmentonlydesignperfumes.com 9 Crabtree & Evelyn Windsor Forest Botanical Candle 

Spruce, pine, fir needle, juniper, £25/crabtree-evelyn.co.uk 10 La Montaña Three Kings Candle Cedarwood, frankincense, myrrh, 

£35a/lamontana.es 11 Beaufort London Night Watch Candle Choose from Coeur de Noir, 1805 Tonnerre, Vi et Armis, £39 for 220g/ 

beaufortlondon.com 12 Cire Trudon Odeurs d’Hiver Candle Set Melchior, Gabriel and Gaspar fragrances, £130 for 100g/conranshop.co.uk 

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it’s a guy thing 

For men only 

...from stocking fillers to extravagant travel accessories 

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1 Yardley Citrus Wood Gift Set, £19.99/yardleylondon.co.uk 2 Vince Camuto for Men Gift Set, £50/theperfumeshop.com 

3 Aramis Blockbuster Gift Set, £85/boots.com 4 Molton Brown Black Peppercorn Festive Shower Gel Bauble, £10/moltonbrown.co.uk 

5 Gruhme Room Diffuser, £25/gruhme.co.uk 6 Penhaligon's Mini His Christmas Gift Set, £41/penhaligons.com 


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If you don’t 

know his scent 

preferences, give 

a ‘selection box’: 

our Scent of a Man 

and Scent of a Gent 

Discovery Boxes 

are perfect. 

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10Qtip 

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7 Dunhill ICON Christmas Gift Set, £57/johnlewis.com 8 Zadig & Voltaire This is Him! Gift Set, £42/houseoffraser.co.uk 

9 Frédéric Malle Valextra Travel Case, £200 for a 50ml case/£240 for 100ml/fredericmalle.com 10 Crabtree & Evelyn Moroccan Myrrh Shave 

Cream Tube with Key, £12/crabtree-evelyn.co.uk 11 Murdock London A Most Handsome Beard Set, £120/murdocklondon.com 

12 The English Beard Oil Company Juniper & Rosemary Beard Oil, £14/theenglishbeardoilcompany.com 

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kllllllllllm 

golden wonders 

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Gilt-y pleasures 

24 carat finds... 

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1 Atelier Flou Sloane Rose, £195 for 100ml/selfridges.com 2 Michael Kors Sexy Amber Gift Set, £60/debenhams.com 

3 Atelier Cologne Emeraude Agar, £220 for 200ml/At Harrods 4 Prada La Femme, £69 for 50ml eau de parfum/selfridges.com 

5 Creed Les Royales Exclusives Jardin d’Amalfi, £295 for 75ml/creedfragrances.co.uk 

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When you’re 

out Christmas 

shopping for scent, 

remember to write 

fragrance names 

on the blotters you 

spray. Even we 

can’t remember 

what’s what, when 

we get home. 

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6 Carolina Herrera 212 VIP, £36 for 30ml eau de parfum/theperfumeshop.com 7 Tory Burch Holiday Limited Edition, 

£95 for 100ml/At Harrods 8 Lalique Coffret Gold Crystal Extrait de Parfum, £9,500/lalique.com 9 Molton Brown Vintage 2016 with 

Elderflower Single Wick Candle, £39/moltonbrown.co.uk 10 Elie Saab Éclat d’Or Limited Edition, £58 for 50ml/johnlewis.com 

11 CK One Gold, £40 for 100ml eau de toilette/boots.com 12 Marc Jacobs Decadence One Eight K, £100/thefragranceshop.co.uk 

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kllllllllllm 

flacon fabuleux 

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Bejewelled bottles 

...for the last word in luxury 

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2 

3 

Gem- bottles are 

just too beautiful 

to hide away – but 

remember to keep 

them out of direct 

sunlight, always 

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4 

1 Tom Ford Black Orchid Lalique Edition, £630 for 15ml parfum/selfridges.com 2 Paris Hilton Heiress Limited Edition, £40 for 100ml 

eau de parfum/theperfumeshop.com 3 Leighton Denny Jewelled Discovery Selection, £38 for 4 x 5ml eau de parfum/LD-boutique.com 

4 Travalo Divine Swarovski Edition, Silver £250/Gold £400/travalo.com 5 DKNY Be Delicious Swarovski Limited Edition, 

£295 for 50ml eau de parfum/theperfumeshop.com 


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6 Guerlain Four Seasons: Le Printemps, Été, L’Automne, L’Hiver, £12,500 each (limited edition of 20)/harrods.com 

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All products were available at time of going to press 

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At the time of year most 

associated with this resinous, 

fragrant element, Suzy 

Nightingale brings its story 

right up to date: from the 

gift bestowed over 2000 

years ago to mark the 

birth of Jesus, through to 

modern-day Namibia… 

myrrh 

the 

perfume 

of kings 


A mystical substance that has variously been 

burned as incense, used for its healing and beautifying 

properties, to embalm ancient Egyptian mummies and in 

magical rites as smoke-laden entreaties to the gods; myrrh 

– or Commiphora myrrha, to give it its botanical name – 

is one of those esoteric fragrant ingredients that echoes 

through the ages. 

Along with gold, myrrh is inevitably associated with 

frankincense as the gifts that the Magi (or Wise Men) 

gave to the infant Jesus. But perhaps the opening scene 

of Monty Python’s The Life of Brian best sums up most 

people’s reaction to this puzzling perfume ingredient, 

however. Mary – played by Terry Jones and called ‘Mandy’ 

in the film – bids the Three Wise Men farewell, saying 

‘…thanks a lot for the gold and frankincense – er, but don’t 

worry too much about the myrrh next time.’ 

Which is seriously wide of the mark, actually: myrrh and 

frankincense were at that time valued right up there with 

gold – hence their choice as probably the most famous gift 

ever delivered. Yet ask most people what myrrh actually 

is, where it comes from or how it’s used in perfumery and 

there’s likely to be a distinct furrowing of brow. So let’s 

do a little digging, following those fragrant rivulets from 

their roots in antiquity to their continuing fascination for 

contemporary perfumers – such as Mathilde Bijaoui, who 

will be showcasing this ancient ingredient in Jo Malone 

London’s forthcoming 2017 launch of the gloriously 

redolent Myrrh & Tonka Eau de Cologne Intense. (A 

collection which focuses on rare, ritualistic ingredients – 

and which now turns the spotlight on this fragrant resin.) 

Both myrrh and frankincense are hand-harvested 

from shrubby trees through a process called striping: 

deep slashes are made in the bark to release or ‘bleed’ 

droplets of sap – rather poetically referred to as ‘tears’. 

A waxy resin quickly coagulates from exposure to the air 

after the harvest, with this myrrh gum becoming a hard, 

glossy yellowish pebble. It can be translucent or opaque, 

darkening deeply as it ages, becoming marbled by white 

streaks the longer it is left. 

As for the differences in how they smell? Well, while 

frankincense is typically described as having a piney, 

lemony scent with a sweet, woody aroma, myrrh is softer 

by far – with an earthier, clean yet almost mushroom-ish 

character and a tinge of black licorice. 

Long pre-dating the virgin birth, at the time of The 

Ancient Egyptians, myrrh oil was considered one of the 

Seven Sacred Oils of Egypt, with this gum resin frequently 

burned as incense. A prayer dedicated to Isis at a temple 

in Philae asks: ‘O Isis, giver of life, who dwells in the Pure 

Island, take to yourself the myrrh which comes from Punt, 

the lotus-fragrance which issues from your body, that your 

heart may be glad through it, and that your heart may 

rejoice every day.’ 

Said by some to have originated in the underworld, 



the smell of myrrh lingers mysteriously, a fragranced fog 

that has drifted through the ages, shrouded (sometimes 

literally) in deliciously scented superstition. Myrrh 

resonates throughout the Bible as an incense ingredient, 

an intoxicating perfume, a beautifying balm for women, 

for pain relief (via ‘wine mingled with myrrh’), and as an 

anointing oil; myrrh was a key ingredient in the oil used 

to anoint Jesus’s body after the crucifixion, blended to a 

recipe which mirrors that given to Moses himself. (See the 

Song of Solomon, opposite.) 

Perhaps because of the symbolic ‘bleeding’ or ‘weeping’ 

of the resin as it’s harvested, myrrh was at one point 

inherently integrated with death, sorrow and religious and 

magical practices. The oil was one of the most important in 

the mummification process — used in such great quantities 

that some of Egypt’s ancient mummies still smell of myrrh, 

we’re told. ‘Death is before me today, like the fragrance of 

myrrh,’ says another of those ancient texts. 

Yet despite its widespread ritual use, actually 

distinguishing myrrh trees from frankincense trees (a.k.a. 

‘incense trees’) befuddled botanists and intrepid explorers 

for centuries: its secrets were truly known only to those 

who tapped and gathered the resin across Africa and the 

Middle East – and closely guarded, because of the value of 

their bounty. 

In the writings of the Greek philosopher Theophrastus 

[c.371–c.287 BC] – a very busy chap who juggled botany, 

ethics, grammar history, logic, metaphysics, natural history, 

physics and developed the philosophy of Aristotle – myrrh 

trees are described as being ‘...smaller in stature and more 

bushy,’ than frankincense, with stout, contorted trunks, 

citing sources that report their bark as smooth but with 

branches bearing spiny leaves. Yet in conflicting accounts, 

the leaves are described as ‘like those of elm’ or variously, 

curly in nature ‘like that of the oak.’ Later writers had the 

myrrh tree ‘looking like a low-spreading cedar’ or ‘like a 

common hawthorn.’ And descriptions of the size of these 

varied from short and stubby to those that ‘might reach 

fifteen feet.’ 

So: there’ve been arguments about what myrrh 

trees look like. About the shape of their leaves, or the 

smoothness/spikiness of their trunks. But what isn’t in 

doubt is myrrh’s seductive, enveloping scent, conjuring the 

exoticism of traversing distant lands and sultry, un-mapped 

vistas – which happens to be perfectly expressed by Jo 

Malone London’s forthcoming launch. 

Céline Roux, the Fragrance Director of Jo Malone 

London, explained to us that its inspiration was ‘the idea 

of Namibia, with its sand dunes and warm desert colours, 

[that] conjured up the romance and emotion of faraway 

lands. Myrrh felt like the perfect note to use for a new and 

innovative Cologne Intense. Enriched with of tonka, the 

fragrance gives a real sense of travel and escape.’ 

Perfumer Mathilde Bijaoui was tasked with creating 

the gloriously redolent Myrrh & Tonka Eau de Cologne 

Intense. All myrrhs, it transpires, are not created equal – 

and Mathilde used not one but two different expressions 

of this element, to ensure the fragrance was note-perfect. 

‘One is the essential oil, which is made from a distillation, 

and has a more uplifting scent than other myrrhs from 

Africa. It’s more immediate, more bracing and a bit spicier.’ 

The other is a resinoid from Namibia created by Serge 

Majoullier from perfume house MANE, which is a solvent 

extraction, totally exclusive to Jo Malone London. ‘This 

particular myrrh is very complex and has so many facets 

that it’s almost a perfume on its own,’ explains Mathilde. It 

has a resinous effect like incense, but it’s a bit warmer and 

woodier. It reminds me of caramelised sugar, maple syrup 

and sun-baked tree sap.’ 

As it turns out, the fame and scarcity of Namibian myrrh 

quivers longingly through the hearts and noses of those 

obsessed with fabulous quality materials. Natural perfumer 

and writer, Mandy Aftel, told us that her favourite myrrh of 

all time also happens to be that harvested from this desert 

land. ‘It’s very buttery – a definite heart note.’ By contrast, 

most myrrh, Mandy adds, ‘is used as a base note.’ 

Jo Malone London are of course renowned for their 

hero-ing of one or two (usually contrasting) ingredients 

in the fragrance formulas. Here, Céline observes, ‘we did 

originally try to play that game of contrasts, which is a 

very signature concept for us – but it really didn’t work for 

this creation. We tried a citrus, a dried wood, a dried fruit 

note.... But they were clashing rather than complementary. 

So we thought about tonka. And it really worked, 

delivering a beautifully sensual mood to the fragrance.’ 

Serendipitously, Mathilde happens to be passionate 

about tonka. ‘It’s one of my favourite ingredients, not just 

for perfumery but for cooking too,’ she enthuses. ‘It’s an 

edible, addictive and gourmand note without being sicklysweet. 

It helps to give a natural balsamic “Oriental” tone 

to the myrrh, and a feeling of sophistication and strength 

to the fragrance – which is so important for the Cologne 

Intense collection. Though gourmand-y in nature, the 

balance of myrrh and tonka here is never overtly sweet – 

together they seem to form a subdued smokiness.’ 

There are few notes in perfumery which can be traced 

back as far as this intoxicating resin, traded for over 5,000 

years. Yet in the hands of today’s perfumers, myrrh smells 

wonderfully contemporary – while remaining as mysterious 

and magical as ever. 

And clearly, the kings who bestowed it as a gift weren’t 

called ‘Wise Men’ for nothing. 

Jo Malone London Myrrh & Tonka Cologne Intense/£105 

for 50ml launches 1st January 2017 

jomalonelondon.com 


The landscape of 

Namibia – and left, 

lumps of myrrh resin 

before processing 

‘Who is this coming 

up from the 

wilderness, 

Like palm-trees 

of smoke, 

Perfumed with myrrh 

and frankincense, 

From every powder of 

the merchant?’ 

‘Till the day doth 

break forth, 

And the shadows 

have fled away, 

I will get me unto the 

mountain of myrrh, 

And unto the hill of 

frankincense.’ 

‘Tears’ of myrrh appear 

when stems are sliced into 

The Song of Solomon 

Jo Malone London’s Céline 

Roux, above (and here), in 

the bleak desert – and the 

finished Myrrh & Tonka 

Cologne Intense, right 



memories, dreams, 

reflections 

Jasper Conran OBE is one of the UK’s leading tastemakers, 

designing womenswear, homewares and (yes), jewellery, as well as 

for the theatre and ballet. Most recently, he has opened a hotel in 

Marrakech. And Jasper’s nose is as keen as his eye, we discover… 

What’s the first thing you remember smelling? 

My great-grandmother Mignon’s kitchen in Southsea, in 

Portsmouth. The smells were actually quite rank: a bit 

musty, a bit cabbage-y – really, the aromas of a period in 

time, which you don’t really get today. My grandmother 

used to wheel me around to my great-grandma’s in my 

pushchair every day for a good old gossip. I just sat and 

listened – it was like Coronation Street. (I didn’t actually 

speak till I was four – didn’t feel the need!) 

Clockwise: an early scent ‘love’; gardenia; 

Eau Sauvage; Roger & Gallet Sandalwood 

Soap, which he tracks down online 

When did you realise scent was really important to you? 

At about seven, something very strange started to happen 

with my olfactory equipment and I began having smell 

flashbacks when I smelled things like sour milk, apple juice: 

they catapulted me back to a particular place, even at that 

young age. I became incredibly sensitive to smell. At about 

that time I also realised my mother always smelled delicious 

– the classic thing of being kissed goodnight as she left, 

swathed in a fox fur stole with flashing diamonds, smelling 

of Fracas or Miss Dior. 

What was the first fragrance you were given? 

I don’t think anyone’s ever given me a 

fragrance! But I was given soap: Pear’s, with its 

wonderful coal tar smell, as well as Roger & 

Gallet Sandalwood soap and their Carnation 

soap. I still buy those on the internet now, for 

vast amounts of money – honestly, diamonds 

and rubies would be cheaper! 

What was the first fragrance that you bought 

for yourself? 

YSL Rive Gauche. It was completely ‘of the 

moment’ in the 1970s. 

Have you had different fragrances for different phases of 

your life…? 

I moved on to Karl Lagerfeld for Men, and quite soon to 

Dior Eau Sauvage which I wear today, with its delicious 

lemon-y freshness. I forget I’m wearing it, but I love 

to smell Eau Sauvage on clothes, scarves, a sweater; 

I think that’s almost the nicest way to appreciate your 

own fragrance. 

What smell makes you feel happy? 

Not one, but several: coffee, toast, the scent of 

Magnolia grandiflora, lily of the valley… 

What smell always makes you feel a bit sad? 

Dog poo on my shoe. Especially when I realise I’ve 

walked it through the house. That’s a really bad day. 


JASPER’S 

FIVE 

FAVOURITE 

SMELLS 

© Melinda Fawver; ksi - stock.adobe.com 

What perfume do you like to smell on a man? 

Nothing. I don’t like fragrance on a man – but that’s just me. 

What perfume do you like to smell on a woman? 

I love classic like Fracas, Chanel, No.5, Miss Dior – which 

might be for Freudian reasons because 

my mother wore them, or simply because 

they’re very good smells. That’s the real 

reason fragrances endure for decades. 

Which fragrance from the past have you 

always wanted to smell? 

It’s very intriguing to imagine what Queen 

Elizabeth the First smelled like – it must 

have been quite heady; there were animalic 

ingredients like civet and musk around at 

that time, along with herbs and spices to 

ward off fleas… 

What is your favourite book about smell? 

Elizabeth David’s French Provincial 

Cooking, which I read several times at 

boarding school to conjure up delicious 

foods in my head. She writes brilliantly 

about aromas of food, as well as flavour. 

Find a wide selection of Jasper Conran’s 

fragrances at Debenhams, including the 

most recent Nude Woman, from £20 for 

400ml eau de parfum 

Clockwise: Jasper’s 

hotel terrace; 

Queen Elizabeth I; a 

favourite book about 

smells; Jasper Conran 

Nude Woman 

1 A musty drawer I’m often 

found with my nose in a 

drawer; they’re so evocative 

and delicious. 

2 Pear’s Soap I love the 

tarry smell (sadly reduced 

in the modern version), 

and it reminds me of my 

grandmother Ida Florence. 

3 Coq au vin You can’t 

improve on a bit of steaming 

coq on the stove! 

4 Sweet peas There is 

nothing like picking a bunch 

on a summer morning and 

burying my nose in them. 

5 Marrakech I love the 

scents of that city, where I’ve 

just opened my hotel, L’Hotel 

Marrakech. It’s literally like 

being transported back to 

the 12th Century – these 

are the smells of ancient 

times. Leather, spices, metal 

being worked – as well as 

flowers like orange blossom, 

geraniums, jasmine, with 

which I’ve planted the hotel’s 

roof garden. 

l-hotelmarrakech.com 


first whiffs 

latest launches 

Want to keep your finger on the pulse-point of the many fragrances being 

unveiled as we hurtle towards Christmas? Here’s your one-stop-shop for all 

the up-to-the-minute fragrance launch info 

PRECIOUS PERFUMES BOX 

We’re already getting rave reviews for this latest Discovery 

Box. This beautiful assortment of fragrances to get you 

through the festive season showcases some truly stunning 

recent launches (several ‘shareable’) – plus gorgeous extras, 

in the form of a silvered nail polish from Nails Inc and Molton 

Brown’s sense-drenching Rosa Absolute Bath & Shower Gel. 

Just £12.50 + p&p to our VIPs (£17.50 to everyone else) at 

perfumesociety.org/SHOP 

✶new 

● GALOP D’HERMÈS 

● MILLER HARRIS ÉTUI NOIR 

● maison francis kurkdjian 

BAccarat rouge 540 

● beaufort london fathom V 

● bULGARI ROSE GOLDEA 

● CHARLOTTE TILBURY SCENT OF A DREAM 

THE FRAGRANCE FAMILIES 

As scentophiles know, fragrances fall into different ‘families’. So we’ve used the same classification system for launches as on 

our perfumesociety.org website. Just look for the coloured strip above the name of the perfume, which is your visual clue to 

the families. (These are listed below.) Most of us are drawn to a specific family/families: once you know which you fall into, that 

colour can act as a cue – and help you take a short-cut to the ones you may want to try first… 

ORIENTAL 

CHYPRE 

WOODY 

FLORIENTAL 

FLORAL 

GOURMAND 

FRESH 

FOUGERE 


BOSS 

THE SCENT FOR HER 

CAROLINA HERRERA 

CONFIDENTIAL 35th 

ANNIVERSARY FRAGRANCE 

DEAR ROSE 

NYMPHESSENCE 

Looking for something ultra-flirty – 

maybe even mistletoe-worthy – for the 

Christmas ‘do’? Actually, we predict 

that long after the last cracker’s been 

pulled, this could prove a keeper, its 

notes of honeyed peach, freesia and 

osmanthus ultimately revealing an 

intriguing base of roasted cocoa as it 

parties on. The bottle’s a head-turner, 

too, with a cap inspired by the Boss 

cufflink – to convey the feel of ‘a 

woman dressed in men’s clothing’, 

explains designer Jason Wu. 

From £44 for 30ml eau de parfum 

fabled.com 

To celebrate 35 years of Carolina 

Herrera’s fashion house, her daughter 

Carolina Herrera de Baez collaborated 

with perfumer Carlos Benaïm to 

rework the classic Carolina Herrera 

New York scent, overdosing the fusion 

of jasmine and tuberose which helped 

the original to attain classic status, 

adding citrus flourishes – and pouring 

the white floral juice into a limited 

edition of the hefty bottle chosen for 

the Herrera Confidential line. Pure 

elegance. (We’d expect nothing less). 


At Harrods 

Composed by Fabrice Pellegrin and 

Elise Benat, this takes you for a 

riverbank stroll to a secret dell, lazing 

in sunshine on soft mossy banks, 

surrounded by wild flowers and 

dreaming of an enchanted fairyland. 

With notes of juicy pear and mandarin, 

the heart throbs with waxy magnolia, 

heady freesia and intoxicating orange 

blossom. The warm glow of 

amberwood resonates from the base 

with the cashmere softness of white 

musk. A dreamy delight. 

€185 for 100ml eau de parfum 

dear-rose.fr 

DIANA VREELAND 

FULL GALLOP 

DIANE PERNET 

LOVE AFFAIR 

ELIE SAAB 

NUIT NOOR 

The late magazine editor and style 

icon certainly took life at full gallop – 

and this gorgeous, soft addition to the 

be-tasseled line-up, also created by 

Carlos Benaïm (he’s been busy!), 

reflects her passion for dance – from 

the Ballets Russes to the Ziegfeld 

Follies via Nureyev. Soft as suede, it’s a 

pas de deux of heliotrope and orris, 

with a corps de ballet that includes 

Moroccan jasmine, osmanthus, Turkish 

rose – and a swoon-worthy curtain call 

of amber and musk. 


harrods.com 

Eccentric fashion icon and queen of 

the blogosphere, Diane Pernet, 

launched four orignal fragrances to 

great success – and now follows with 

her most mysteriously romantic scent 

yet. Inspired by Daniel Mann’s film 

‘The Rose Tattoo’ and Diane’s own 

childhood memories of picking roses, 

it beckons dangerous emotions with 

bewitchingly luscious rose shrouded in 

the smoky dryness of vetiver, soothed 

by velvety petals, then smoothed by 

the mossy woodiness of the base. 


At Avery Perfume Gallery 

The Beirut-born couturier took 

inspiration for Nuit Noor from his 

homeland, where ‘noor’ means light. 

(So this translates as ‘Light of the 

Night’.) It’s certainly perfect for 

after-dark: a spellbinding contrast 

between the mysterious woodsiness of 

patchouli and oudh, with shafts of 

light from orange blossom. Close your 

eyes and you’re under a star-filled sky, 

wearing a jewelled gown, in the most 

glamorous of locations. A real magic 

carpet of a fragrance. 


At Harrods 


JO MALONE 

ORANGE BITTERS COLOGNE 

JO WOOD 

AMKA 

JULIETTE HAS A GUN 

MMMM… 

Jo Malone London unveil their 

first-ever Christmas Cologne – and it’s 

the perfect winter cocktail. A citrusy 

trio of orange bitters, mandarin and 

orange is paired with a sensual base 

of amber and sandalwood for a 

sumptuous blend that sits somewhere 

between your breakfast marmalade 

and the last Old Fashioned of the 

evening. Housed in a decadent 

harlequin-chequered bottle, this truly 

is the perfect scent cocktail for the 

season. Chin, chin! 

£90 for 100ml eau de Cologne 

jomalone.co.uk 

Here’s something for the many 

perfume-lovers who come to us in 

search of all-natural scents. Jo Wood 

– a long-term advocate of organic 

living (notwithstanding the rock ‘n’ roll 

lifestyle) – is relaunching her beautiful, 

shareable fragrance collection in 

stunning black and gold livery. Opening 

with a burst of green mandarin and 

sweet orange, bergamot and neroli, 

Amka’s floral heart pulses with jasmine 

and rose otto, with cedarwood making 

for a spicy, soft, grounding finish. 

£59 for 50ml eau de toilette 

jowoodorganics.com 

Romano Ricci had onomatopoeia on 

his mind when creating this – a sound 

of pure delight, escaping unbidden 

when smelling something delicious… 

Vanilla and neroli provide the 

marzipan-like sweetness undercut by a 

hearty slug of orange blossom that 

delivers wrist-sniffing delight the 

whole day long. JHAG’s first real foray 

into the world of gourmand, we can’t 

be alone in hoping it wont be their 

last. And the vivid pink bottle simply 

pops, no matter where you place it! 


selfridges.com 

LACOSTE 

L.12.12 POUR ELLE ELEGANT 

L’OCCITANE 

L’ARLÉSIENNE 

NEELA VERMEIRE CRÉATIONS 

RAHELE 

What’s with the ‘L.12.12’? It’s the name 

of the legendary Lacoste polo shirt. 

This fragrance, however, you’ll want to 

accessorise with something less sporty, 

more sexy. Soft, almost fuzzy mimosa 

is brightened by citrus oils, pink 

pepper and cassis bud, while in the 

dry-down, masculine notes of vetiver 

and patchouli stop this tipping into 

girliness. It’s actually one of a capsule 

wardrobe of L.12.12 Pour Elle launches, 

alongside Sparkling and Natural. 

Game, set and match to Lacoste. 

£29.50 for 30ml eau de toilette 

boots.com 

Provençale flowers dance at the heart 

of this eau de toilette concentration of 

L’Arlésienne. Violet from Tourrettessur-Loup 

and Grasse Rosa centifolia 

are made radiant by saffron (a.k.a. 

‘king of spices’), in a scent where citrus 

freshness is contrasted by the green 

breeze of galbanum, almond-y 

hawthorn and iris. Fabrice Pellegrin 

wraps the whole lot in a powdery musk: 

the embodiment of femininity, in a 

stylish, square-shouldered flacon. (There 

are layering possibilities galore, too.) 


uk.loccitane.com 

Taking inspiration from the 17th 

Century French travellers who visited 

India, Rahele (meaning traveller) is an 

ode to East meeting West, starting off 

crisp and citrusy before moving onto a 

swirl of Indian spices, woody notes and 

leather. They all dance delicately 

around the start of the show – 

osmanthus, a light floral with tinges of 

fruits. An intriguing travelogue, it’s set 

to have you dreaming of far-off 

destinations, pining for osmanthuscovered 

Himalayan hills. 


neelavermeire.com 


ORMONDE JAYNE 

JARDIN D’OMBRE 

PENHALIGON’S 

OUD DE NIL 

PERFUMER H 

PATCHOULI H 

Founder Linda Pilkington recalled 

childhood memories of visiting 

Fortnum’s at Christmas when she was 

asked to create this bespoke scent for 

them. It captivates the senses with a 

heady white floral tinged with 

autumnal tones that we fell madly for 

at first spritz. Bergamot and Sicilian 

lime melt into the jasmine, orris, rose 

and orchid oil heart before the sensual 

shadows of smoky musk tendrils cling 

to smooth sandalwood and patchouli 

in an unforgettable finish. 


fortnumandmason.com 

Evoking clean white robes billowing 

like sails in the dusty desert wind and 

all the exotic glamour of a Nile cruise, 

perfumer Christin Provenzano 

immediately captures the imagination 

with sparkling citrus, indolic jasmine 

garlanded by roses, geranium and 

orange blossom. The oudh in the 

base is totally wearable - masterfully 

blended with papyrus, guaiac wood 

and a hazy glow of amber, like the 

sun dipping low after a day full of 

heady marvels. 


penhaligons.com 

Suddenly, patchouli’s as fashionable 

as it was in the 1960s and 70s – but a 

heck of a lot more wearable. This 

offers the green freshness of angelica, 

galbanum and moss, buffed softly at 

the edges by amber. Frankincense 

and cedarwood further ramp up the 

dark intrigue – but this is no roomrocker: 

there’s a dreamy intimacy to 

Lyn Harris’s patchouli offering, one of 

a handful of stunners joining her 

Winter 2016 Collection (alongside Ink 

and Orange Leaf). 

£310 for 100ml bottle (refills £170) 

At Perfumer H 

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO 

SIGNORINA IN ROSSO 

SERGE LUTENS 

VEILLEUR DE NUIT 

YSL 

BLACK OPIUM WILD EDITION 

Celebrating the holiday season in 

limited edition style, Salvatore 

Ferragamo presents the most glamorous 

Signorina ever, within a magical 

wine-coloured luxury box. Inside, the 

beautiful Florence skyline is painted in 

rose gold to set the scene for the 

flacon seen above – and of course the 

juice is just as special, its piquant notes 

of currant spiced by pink pepper, 

jasmine, peony, rosy musk and the 

mouthwateringly delicious gourmand 

final flourish of creamy pannacotta. 


houseoffraser.co.uk 

Veilleur de Nuit translates as ‘The 

Night Watchman’ – inspired, so we’re 

told, by Monsieur Lutens’s insomnia, 

the power of the night, the moon and 

the stars. Certainly, it’s as dark as an 

extrait gets, featuring animalic sweet 

and slightly bitter dark chocolate and 

cacao, alongside leather, smoky and 

musky facets. Vetiver, castoreum, 

civet, tuberose and musk also feature 

in this example of a new scent 

category – one that’s being described 

as ‘choco-florals’, by bloggers. 

£525 for 50ml parfum 

At Harrods 

Something for the many, many fans of 

Black Opium: a seasonal limited 

edition bottle of the eau de parfum, 

with a truly edgy look: a 3-D glittereffect 

faux fur finish – almost like 

camouflage – bordered in rose gold. 

The scent inside remains equally 

dark, similarly wild, a bitter coffee 

accord juxtaposed with white flowers, 

cedar and patchouli, all softened by 

delectable vanilla. Black Opium 

devotees will love adding this to their 

collection of special editions. 

From £47 for 30ml eau de parfum 

yslbeauty.co.uk 


the men’s room 

ALFORD & HOFF 

NO. 3 

ATELIER COLOGNE 

MUSC IMPERIAL 

DS & DURGA 

RADIO BOMBAY 

Rodrigo Flores-Roux is the perfumer 

behind Alford & Hoff’s fragrances – 

here rather brilliantly composing an 

‘everyday sexy’ scent for their third 

offering, infusing ‘white iron’ 

aldehydes with rhubarb and absinthe 

for a saucy fizz that keeps on giving. 

Deeper down we get geranium, 

nutmeg and fig on a feather bed of 

Florentine iris, with an incredible trio 

of vetiver (including an ultra purified 

extract from Haiti), for a guaranteed 

all-day wrist-sniffer. 


At Harrods 

Bracingly fresh at first, the musk here 

delivers a cotton-soft base while the 

intriguingly mountain forest-esque 

embrace of aromatic clary sage adds 

true character to yet another sure-fire 

hit from the house of Atelier Cologne. 

Revolutionising the traditional accord 

and making Cologne once again a 

contemporary staple, the long-lasting 

– it’s as strong as eau de parfum – 

formulation means you get to enjoy 

the waves of freshness time after time, 

and throughout the day. 

£100 for ml eau de parfum 

selfridges.com 

Evoking the scent of an old-school 

wooden transistor radio that’s been 

pumping out tunes all day while 

glowing with heat, Brooklyn-based DS 

& Durga bring us dusty sandalwood 

tempered by cream, coco and an 

electrified peachy fuzz. Ultra-hip in a 

shareable way, this American niche 

house is creating serious (radio) waves. 

Check out the equally special White 

Peacock Lily, Rose Atlantic and 

(thrillingly named, for Pixies fans) 

Debaser, while you’re at it. 


libertylondon.com 

ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA 

AMBER ESSENZE 

ISSEY MIYAKE 

L’EAU D’ISSEY POUR HOMME 

NOIR AMBRÉ 

JO WOOD 

USIKU 

We’re bewitched by The Essenze Gold 

Collection: rich in tradition, deliciously 

opulent, it showcases ingredients like 

musk, incense – and, here, amber. 

Bulgarian rose, lavender, benzoin, 

sandalwood, patchouli and vetiver 

enfold the warm, sweet, sexy star of 

the show – and the result is deep, 

decadent, complex and sophisticated. 

Though the collection’s ostensibly 

masculine, women who love 

smouldering scents will definitely feel 

like they’ve struck gold, with this lot. 


harveynichols.com 

Technically ‘Oriental-woody’ – but also 

described by Issey Miyake as an 

‘Eau-rientale’ (!), this is definitely a 

sensual departure from the signature 

aquatic freshness that put L’Eau 

d’Issey on the global scent-map in the 

early 1990s. By contrast, imagine notes 

of cinnamon, black vanilla, dark 

woods, leather, saffron and plenty of 

the amber its name implies. A fragrant 

nectar in which ‘East meets Far East – 

and water is infused with the light of 

the East’. 


At Harrods 

Both of rock goddess Jo Wood’s newly 

relaunched organic fragrances are 

‘shareable’ (see Amka, p.42) – but this 

is the match for tastes that are earthier, 

warmer and more sensual, we suggest. 

(‘Usiku’ is Swahili for night, for your 

info.) Rosemary and pine needle are 

spiced by ginger and cardamom, with 

coriander, clove and clary sage adding 

aromatic crispness. It’s Usiku’s base 

that thrums and pulses, meanwhile, 

with its cedarwood, vetiver and 

patchouli depth. 


jowoodorganics.com 


NISHANE ISTANBUL 

HUNDRED SILENT WAYS 

PARFUMERIE GÉNÉRALE 

11.1 INDIAN WOOD 

ROJA DOVE 

OLIGARCH 

‘I closed my mouth and spoke to you 

in a hundred silent ways.’ – Rumi. 

Inspired by the 13th Century Persian 

poet, the niche house of Nishane 

continue to wow. Here, bitter orange 

is becalmed by vanilla, succulent 

peach entwines with creamy tuberose 

while the magnificent floral heart of 

gardenia, iris butter and jasmine just 

sings. Greenly fresh vetiver and milky 

sandalwood offer a delicious finish to 

this unisex fragrance that speaks 

louder than words. 

£120 for 50ml extrait de parfum 

bloomperfume.co.uk 

Pierre Guillaume’s Parfumerie 

Générale perfume house is a 

fascinating concept, ‘unfettered by the 

boundaries of gender or classic 

families’. Here, nose-tingling Jamaican 

allspice is paired with lemon and mint, 

nutmeg and cardamom, on a triptych 

of woody goodness comprising 

oakmoss, fir balsam and sandalwood, 

making for the sassiest of scents – with 

the merest hint of coconut milk 

binding the blend into a fragrance that 

exudes sophisticated exoticism. 

£81.50 for 50ml eau de parfum 

bloomperfume.co.uk 

To quote Roja Dove of this ‘status 

symbol’ scent: ‘I have created an 

incredibly masculine, self-assured 

Chypre, the ultimate symbol of 

success – to reflect the ethos of a 

Russian man.’ Perhaps you know a 

chap closer to home who’d enjoy this 

‘essence of success’, blending 

bergamot, lemon, lime, lavender, 

orange blossom, champaca and 

Grasse jasmine, with a bed of oakmoss 

on which patchouli, juniper, pink 

pepper, birch and leather rest. 


rojaparfums.com 

SERGES LUTENS 

BAPTÊME DU FEU 

STAR WARS 

GALAXY 

THE LIBRARY OF FRAGRANCE 

MYRRH 

The maestro of mysterious fragrances 

seduces once again with a stunning 

take on contrasted notes (representing 

‘the ever-shifting power play between 

good and evil’, apparently). Quirky 

descriptions aside, this is a sublime 

plunge from powdery fruitiness into a 

delicious toasty gingerbread heart and 

a dangerously addictive musky 

dry-down that’s utterly wearable by 

either sex. Like a dreamy walk through 

a fairytale forest, we feel like following 

its trail of breadcrumbs all the way. 


houseoffraser.co.uk 

The force will definitely be with 

wearers of Galaxy, a woody-spicy 

offering from this line-up of scentsurround 

creations. Sitting alongside 

Droid, Revenge, Dark, Light and Rey, 

Galaxy’s said to be ‘unisex’ – but we 

find the geranium, bergamot, black 

pepper and sandalwood to be the 

most masculine choice in this fragrant 

Star Wars universe, whose sleek, 

futuristic packaging would look 

equally at home in a metropolitan 

bathroom as on a spaceship. 

£27.50 for 50ml eau de parfum 

boots.com 

We can’t exactly claim that myrrh is 

having ‘a moment’, having been used 

for centuries by kings and alchemists 

alike [see our fragrant feature on p.34], 

but perfumers are definitely embracing 

this spicily resinous ingredient afresh. 

Here, wafting waves of woodiness are 

gently powdered with an icing sugar 

sweetness. Go for winter forest 

decadence by layering this with their 

bracingly fresh Blue Spruce – or full-on 

woodiness by veiling yourself in the 

Log Cabin’s fuzzy coziness. 

£15 for 30ml Cologne 

libraryoffragrance.com 


it takes me right back 

“ 

Tinsel 

For fragrance expert and blogger Stephan Matthews, the ‘ghost’ of 

Christmas past is conjured up by the smell of sparkly swags 

My mother was born during the Second 

World War, and my father in 1931 – so the 

style of our Christmas tree decorations was 

very firmly rooted in the 1950s. We had one 

set of baubles that had been passed down 

from my great grandparents – but it was the 

smell of something newer that has stuck 

in my memory since I was a child. It was 

effectively a multi-coloured explosion 

that came in two-metre lengths, was 

draped across our (artificial) trees, and 

created a scent that can only be 

described as electric – a plasticity 

that that seemed to be charged 

with foil-enriched static. (And if 

you went too close then your hair 

literally would 

stand on end.) 

I’m talking about 

the smell of tinsel, 

gently warming on 

the tree – which 

takes me straight 

back to a childhood 

in Wales. I know that some 

people are a little snooty 

about tinsel, but you’ll 

always find some lurking in 

my house at Christmas – if 

only for the scent. There’s 

also something about the 

almost furry feel of it as it 

runs through your fingers, the way it catches 

the light from the fireplace, that adds greatly 

to that Christmas magic. (So do yourself a 

favour this year and grab yourself a two–metre 

red length of pure nostalgia!) 

As in most British families, Christmas was a 

really important holiday when I was a child. (I 

even spoke to my brother for one day a year, 

although it was probably actually a grunt – and 

not much has changed between us over forty 

years later.) My parents always managed to 

give us everything we’d asked for. 

But there’s another scent which has 

remained stuck in my head since my 

childhood – and smelling this, too, 

instantly takes me back. Aside from 

decorating the tree, the other big 

“ Some people are a 

little snooty about 

tinsel, but you’ll 

always find some 

lurking in my house 

at Christmas” 

tradition in our house was the Christmas cake – 

as it probably is in countless others during the 

run up to the Big Day. The thought of actually 

buying a Christmas cake in the shops in the 

1970s and 80s was utterly scandalous – and so 

Stir-up Sunday became a very British tradition, 

one that we certainly followed in our house. 

Plenty of people harp on about the scent of 

‘rum-infused fruit gently mixing with a buttery 

sweetness…’ But I don’t. My nostalgic scent 

memory is of the magic that always happened 

after the tin went into the oven. Following the 

lead of Mrs. Bridges (from that era’s mustwatch 

TV series Upstairs Downstairs), it was the 

done thing to tie a layer of newspaper around 

the tin to help the cake cook more evenly. 

And I vividly 

remember the smell that 

used to fill the kitchen 

as the newspaper round 

our cake browned 

and became brittle 

– a combination of 

newsprint and an almost 

kiln-dried oakiness. That 

would have to be my alltime 

favourite Christmas 

scent, and if it was made 

into a perfume then 

I’d buy it by the vat. 

Unfortunately, I’ve now 

got one of those ‘superduper’ 

electric ovens – so the scent when I 

cook the cake is a bit different, not quite so 

oaky. For the real effect you need a gas oven 

(which my mother still has), and a few sheets of 

the Daily Mirror. Although other newspapers 

can be substituted if required… 

But whatever you’re doing for Christmas, 

wherever you are, and whoever you’re 

spending it with, I recommend taking just a 

moment to breathe in all of the aromas that 

will surround you. There will be many that bring 

memories flooding back – and also others that 

will create new ones, for the years to come. 

Meanwhile, rest assured that on Christmas 

Day I will be cooking the dinner with a sherry 

in one hand – and a garland of tinsel 

around my neck. 

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